The alley behind Zindra's apartment flickered with unnatural darkness as Sanavak took form — an outline of emptiness that bent the rain and wind around it. Liyaya clutched the wall, eyes wide, unable to look away from the impossible creature.
Zindra felt Meakery Senlord's energy pulsing through his veins like fire. His disguise cracked and faded. In place of an ordinary man stood the sentinel of Cyne — markings glowing down his arms and chest, eyes bright with an unearthly light.
"Sanavak," Zindra growled, his voice echoing with an otherworldly tone. "You won't touch this world."
Sanavak struck first — a sudden rush of force like a hurricane blast. Zindra planted his feet, raising his arm as an invisible shield rippled out from the runes. The blow slammed into him but didn't break through.
Behind him, Liyaya could hardly breathe. She wanted to scream, to run — but something in Zindra's voice kept her frozen. Trust me, he'd said. So she did.
Zindra countered. He swept his arm through the air, and a line of blue light carved through the shadows. Sanavak hissed — not a sound, but a vibration that rattled the alley walls. It recoiled and struck again, faster.
"Zindra! What is that thing?" Liyaya shouted over the roar of wind and rain.
"A devourer — an eater of worlds. It came for Cyne. Now it's come for Earth!" he yelled back, his eyes never leaving the monster.
The Meakery Senlord pulsed on his chest. Use me, it whispered in his mind. Become more than human. Become Cyne.
With a roar, Zindra unleashed the full energy of his people. His body lifted a foot from the ground, glowing brighter than the streetlights. The rain turned to steam where it touched him. With a final burst of power, he hurled a blast of pure force at Sanavak's core.
The shadow shrieked in silent fury, thrashing like smoke caught in a storm. Slowly, it dissolved into nothing, torn apart by light and will. The alley fell silent, rain now soft, the only sound Liyaya's shaking breath.
Zindra dropped to his knees, exhausted but alive. The runes dimmed, the glow fading back into his skin. He turned to Liyaya, his eyes filled with both fear and hope.
"Now you know," he whispered. "I'm not from here. I came to protect this world — and you."
Liyaya stepped closer, her eyes full of questions, fear, and something else — trust. She knelt beside him, placed a hand on his face, and whispered back: "Then I'll fight with you. Whatever you are — you're mine."
Together, under the quiet rain, the last sentinel and the brave human knew this was only the beginning.